High Court Mulls Arguments In NFL Antitrust Case

Law360, New York (January 13, 2010, 7:46 PM EST) -- The U.S. Supreme Court searched for a middle ground during oral arguments Wednesday in a case that challenges a ruling effectively shielding the National Football League from antitrust scrutiny for purposes of intellectual property licensing, an issue that could affect not only sports but joint ventures in other businesses.

The justices grilled attorneys for both sides in the case, seemingly skeptical of granting the NFL full immunity from Section 1 of the Sherman Act, while equally doubtful of clothing maker American Needle Inc's position that any...